Chapter 439: Chapter 439 Mobile Defense
Albert I’s eyes flashed with hesitation: "Do you mean we should develop armored forces?"
Colonel Edison nodded vigorously: "Exactly, Your Majesty. Tanks are essentially moving fortresses. The money we spend building a fortress could buy hundreds of tanks. A fortress can only stay in one place waiting for the enemy to attack, but tanks can move around and have unexpected impacts, as the General has demonstrated."
Shire was somewhat surprised by Colonel Edison’s words. Most of what he said was correct. In an era where everyone was obsessed with trench digging and defensive tactics, Colonel Edison’s ideas on mobile warfare were indeed rare and valuable.
But Shire countered: "No, Colonel, tanks can’t always be mobile. They will need to stop eventually. Moreover, fuel and logistics are their biggest weaknesses. This time, we almost failed because of them."
Colonel Edison was taken aback; he had not considered this point.
Upon further reflection, he felt Shire was right. The enemy doesn’t need to attack the tank units; they only need to attack Belgium’s fuel bases.
If tanks are used to protect fuel, then the tanks lose their mobility because they will be tied to the fuel bases and unable to move anywhere.
Albert I frowned: "Then we need a place to protect the fuel."
Albert I’s eyes suddenly brightened: "I understand. What the General means is that we need both armored forces and fortresses."
Shire nodded: "Fortresses can act as support points, providing security for the tanks, fuel, and maintenance. Tanks can then operate between these support points, forming an invisible network that ties them together into a complete defense system capable of both offense and defense."
"A wonderful idea, General," Colonel Edison looked at Shire in amazement: "You’ve provided a very clear defense plan in just a moment’s thought."
Previously, Colonel Edison had only learned that tanks needed to be "mobile" from Shire’s tactics but was still at a loss otherwise.
Now, with Shire’s explanation, the vague concepts in his mind were gradually taking shape.
Albert I hesitated and asked: "Can you be more specific?"
Shire laid out a map of Belgium in front of them, pointing to several points: "We could use areas like Antwerp, Leuven, Namur, and Liege, which are easy to defend and hard to attack, as the foundation to build this system, which isn’t visible on the surface but exists in reality."
Colonel Edison nodded slightly: "If the system is invisible, the enemy will have difficulty gathering information and mounting a targeted attack. They will only realize its existence after suffering losses."
"Exactly," Shire nodded.
This is the drawback of passive defense.
For fortifications that are visible, if the enemy’s intelligence work is thorough and they spend enough time preparing, they can certainly find weaknesses, as there is no wall in the world that is completely impregnable.
But with a mobile defense, where the enemy cannot see and which is flexible, they will be unable to predict or prepare.
(Above picture shows the defense system Belgium built between WWI and WWII. There is no Chinese version available, sorry. It is roughly divided into five parts: East is the Liege Fortress, West is Ghent, South is the Namur Fortress, North is Antwerp, and the center is Leuven.)
Albert I listened to Shire’s analysis, eyes fixed on the map, both astonished and delighted.
True to his title as the "French Mars," Shire had casually produced such an excellent and mature plan.
It cleverly utilizes Belgium’s existing fortresses and combines them with modern equipment and contemporary warfare thinking, making it both offensive and defensive while remaining flexible...
Indeed, I did not misjudge him. We must bind his interests to Belgium at all costs.
What Albert I did not know was that Shire’s plan was not produced on a whim.
This was essentially the defense system Belgium would build in the future, the difference being that Belgium used trenches, machine guns, bunkers, and anti-tank fortresses to connect these support points.
Belgium even modified an artificial canal to serve as an anti-tank ditch.
(Above picture shows the Albert Canal modified by Belgium, running from Antwerp to where it merges into the Meuse River, spanning 160 kilometers. Its average width is 60 meters, depth 5 meters, and the average height of the east bank is 65 meters.)
But unfortunately, they didn’t prove to be effective.
Belgium and France made the same mistake, their defenses were too passive, and they placed all their hopes on these fortifications, neglecting the development of their armies.
As a result, Germans easily broke through these seemingly impregnable defenses by dropping paratroopers behind the lines and launching a two-pronged assault.
At this moment, Shire’s plan discarded these costly but ultimately ineffective fortifications and replaced them with mobile forces.
If Belgium’s army could be strengthened, one day when the Germans drop paratroopers behind the lines again, their lightly armed forces would face the relentless crushing of armored and mechanized troops.
Albert I, seemingly afraid of forgetting, excitedly circled the locations Shire mentioned with a pencil, then nodded at Shire with satisfaction: "I completely agree, General, I support this idea wholeheartedly!"
Saying this, Albert I turned his gaze to Colonel Edison.
In truth, Albert I did not need Colonel Edison’s agreement. At this time, because of his tireless efforts for Belgium’s liberation during wartime, he had received widespread support from Belgian citizens. His decisions almost represented the will of the Belgian people.
However, Albert I knew well that military affairs were not his forte, and as Colonel Edison held real power, he sought his opinion.
Colonel Edison didn’t hesitate for a moment, nodding: "Of course, Your Majesty, I also support this plan. There is no better option!"
At this point, Shire brought the conversation back to the main topic: "But if we are to do this, I mean to maintain, update the fortresses while also building a modern force, it doesn’t seem necessary for me to set up a factory in Antwerp."
Then Shire added: "Just as I said, you can entirely purchase equipment from France."
"No, General," Albert I opposed: "We need an arsenal, at least on Belgian soil."
Although he did not explain why, Shire understood.
Belgium not only had to guard against Germany but also France might one day become an enemy.
Albert I did not want to be completely dependent on France and become its puppet. This is the most basic political wisdom of a leader.